Typewriting machine



Aug. 29, 1944.

H. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l igina 1. Filed March 4, 1958 v I Howard'fi S Aug. 29, 1944. H, s n- 2,357,142

I TYPEWRITING MACHINE- Original Filed March 4, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 29, 1944 TYPEWRITING MACHINE Howard B. Smith, Washington, D. C.

Original application March 4, 1938, Serial No. 193,974. Divided and this application May'12, 1942, Serial No. 442,673

7 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriting machines and has for an object to provide improved and simple mechanism by which characters may be printed in succession upon a paper sheet or web.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved, simple and inexpensive means for causing an increment of movement of th platen and paper after each printing operation so as to position a new zone of the paper in printing position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved typewriting machine having improved means for storing a supply of paper, feeding it through printing position on a platen and then receiving and holdin the portion of the paper passing printing position; with which the portion passing the platen may be easily torn off in a simple manner; with which the threading f the p per through the machine preparatory to a printing operation may be accomplished in a simple and convenient manner; with which the storage means for the paper may be made easily accessible for the insertion and removal of paper; with which the paper maybeied through printing position with a minimum of mechanism; with which maximum and immediate visbility of the paper surface after passing printing position may be obtained; and with which its over-all dimensions may. be condensed for packing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved typewriting machine which may be carried by the operator whil in use; and with which the keys will be conveniently accessible for operation by the person carrying the machine while the machine i being carried.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved typewriting machine which will have improved paper feeding means; which may be operated while being carried about or supported in ones lap; which will permit of rapid and convenient manipulation inv use; which may be stored in anexceptionally compact package when not in use; with which the paper, after being printed upon, Will be constantly exposed to the view of the operator and conveniently accessible for reading; which requires no stand, desk or' table; which can be operated with equal facility while the operator is sitting, standing or walking; which is convenient for reporting work; with which the printing point will be in a natural reading position under the eyes of the operator and close enough to be easily read; with which the printed portion of the paper will fall between the hands when the hands are in'writing positions, so as to be alwaysaccessible for immediate I cupy during use, depending on whether a pad of paper of ordinary size or large size i used;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation through a portion of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon my prior Patent No. 1,954,834, issued April 17, 1934, in which the typewriting machine selected to illustrate that invention was of the shorthand typewriting type, and is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 193,974 filed March 4, 1938, now Patent No. 2,283,235. Some of the features of the present invention are par ticularly valuable in shorthand typewriting machines, and for that reason I have illustrated the invention as embodied in a shorthand typewriting machine, but it will be understood that variou features of the invention are not necessarily limited to that type of machine, but are capable of use in other types of typewriting machines.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the frame I0 is somewhat box-like in form and may for convenience be a die casting of light metals, so as to give maximum lightness with sufficient strength and rigidity. This frame I0 is open at its bottom face and its upper face is cut away as at H to provide spaces in which the keyboard is disposed, The frame In is further cut away in its upper face as at l2, to provide a space for receiving the paper web or sheet after being printed upon. The keyboard has its keys I4 divided into two groups disposed on opposite sides of the cut-away portion [2 in the upper face of the frame 10. Also disposed in the cutaway portion l at eachside of the paper receiving" zone is a character selecting or shifting key or bar Hi. It will be noted that the cut-away portions II for the keys l4 and character shifting bars 15 are at the forward edge of the frame, and upon the rear portion of the frame is mounted an upstanding superstructure I6 Which serves as a frame to support some of the mechanism, this superstructure being secured to the upper face of the frame I in any suitable manner such as by cap screws 11, Fig. 2.

Mounted between side plates in the superstructure or frame It is a cylindrical printing platen It. This platen is mounted in a horizontal position in the frame I 6 for rotation about its longitudinal axis in any suitable manner, such as is usual in typewriting machines. This platen is of the usual slightly resilient material common to the platens of all typewriting machines. Type bars [9 are arranged in a row and individually and slidably mounted in a *tubular holder 20 which is carried by a rocking frame 2| so as to shift the type bars as a group upwardly or downwardly so that different rows of characters thereon will be in position to print against said platen. A ribbon 22 is fed between rollers 23 and between the rollers is suitably guided between the row of bars 19 and the platen. Key levers 24 are hinged on a common bearing 25 and have upstanding ends 26 individually engageable against the ends of bars H). The levers 24 extend from the bearing 25 along the frame [0 at the other side of the platen and terminate in the keys 14.

As in my prior Patent No. 1,954,834, the paper is conveniently of the folded type which is stored in one tray, fed through printing position and then received in another tray. Accordingly, between the groups of keys within the cut-away portion [2 of the frame I0, I dispose a lower tray 21 which carries a supply of paper to be printed upon, and above it an upper or paper receiving tray 28 which receives the paper after being printed upon. The paper web 29 (Fig. 2) from the tray 21 is guided upwardly by a roller 38 carriedon the brackets 3!, and then is conducted in front of the ribbon to a guiding and feeding plate 32 immediately below the platen, which feeds and guides the paper web 29 upwardly toward the printing position on the platen, thence the paper goes around the platen I8 and then downwardly to the upper tray 28. The plate 32 guides the paper web to printing position in front of the ribbon and in alinement'with the type bars, and the paper web is confined to the platen by a pressure roller 33 which is rotatably mounted in arms 34 which are pivoted at 35 to the side plates of the frame I6.

Springs 36 are connected between suitable parts of the frame !6 and the arms 34, so as to urge the latter in directions to force the roller 33 against the platen and confine the paper thereto at the side of the platen approximately opposite from the printing position or printing zone, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper ends of the arms 34 are connected by a bar 31, so that the two arms 34 and bar 31 form a bail and move as a unit. The lower edge of the bar 31 is provided with serrations or teeth which serve as a tearing off edge for the paper web. Thus by pressing the descending zone of the paper Web as it leaves the platen, against the under edge of the tear-01f bar 31, the excess paper, which has fallen into the upper tray, may be torn off, the tearing being aided by the teeth on the tearing off edge. A guide plate 38 (Fig. 2) is supported by a cross bar 39 in a position to extend vertically along the strip of the ribbon which passes upwardly between the rollers 4!] and 4!, so as to keep the paper from striking the ribbon as the paper moves from the lower paper tray up to the platen. Ink on the paper before it reaches the printing point would reduce legibility.

The lower tray 21 is preferably mounted in any suitable manner to move vertically to some extent, so as to accommodate different sizes of pads of paper. While the mounting of the tray 21 for vertical movement may utilize merely guides for the ends of the tray, in the example illustrated, the tray 21 (Fig. 2) is suspended at both ends by parallel links 42 from the lower "part of the frame, as shown by full lines in Fig.

2, the links 42 being pivoted to both tray and frame, so as to guide the tray between the dotted and full line positions shown in Fig. The sides of the tray 21 are provided with apertures or cavities 43 adjacent one end thereof, and as the tray 21 is swung upwardly into a position within the frame H], which is from the full line to the dotted line position in Fig. 2, the apertures 43 will become alined with and engaged by pins 44 (Fig. 3), provided on spring arms 45 that are carried by bearing brackets 45 projecting inwardly from the forward edge of the frame H0. The pins 44 are semi-spherical at their free ends so that they will easily snap into the apertures 43 and yieldingly hold the tray 21 in its elevated position within the frame l0, but yet will yield and release the tray 21 when one desires to pull it downwardly into the suspended position shown in Fig. 2. The links 42 suspending the lower tray 21 are hinged to brackets 46 at the forward end of the frame Ill, and to bearing brackets 41 at the rear of the frame.

'The bearing brackets 41 have projecting ends 48 which, by engagement with the pivotal con nections between the tray 21 and the lower ends of the links 42 at the rear of the frame, limit the upward swinging movement of the tray 21 as the latter swings upwardly into the dotted line position in Fig. 2. In ordinary use when using a pad of paper of ordinary size, the lower paper tray 21 is in the up position, but when the operator desires to use a large pad of paper, as for example, when he is reporting a court case that requires several hours of steady work without stopping to renew the paper, he pulls down the lower tray 21 and inserts a large pad of paper.

The upper tray 28 (Fig. 2) is hinged, intermediate of its ends and at opposite sides thereof, by pins v49 to links 58, which in turn are hinged at 5| to the bearing brackets 45. The tray 28 is also provided with laterally extending ears 52, near the innerend thereof, which rest upon the upper surfac of the frame H! at the sides of the slot 12, and thus support the inner end of the tray at the proper level and position. When the tray 28 is supported in an approximately horizontal position in this manner, the links 50 are approximately horizontal, as shown in Fig. 2. When one desires to obtain access to the lower tray 21, such as for the purpose of inserting a new supply of paper therein, the tray 28 may be lifted and swung upwardly and forwardly, that is, away from the fram l0 such as into the dotted line position E in Fig. 2. During this movement, the links 50 carry the outer end of the upper tray 28 upwardly and forwardly, and since the inner end of this tray has previously been resting merely upon the upper face of the frame If], this inner end may be swung upwardly into a vertical position as shown by the dotted lines E in Fig. 2. After a paper web has been inserted and threaded up to and around the'platen, the tray 28 may be swung back into the full line or horizontal position of Fig. 2.

The frame In is notched in its upper vertical edge at the front of the machine, thenotch being designated 53 in Fig. 2, and is alined with the tray 28. The links 50 have a bar 54 connecting the links 50 as shown so as to engage with the under face of the tray 28 and form a support therefor, when the tray is in its full line position shown in Fig. 2. The outer end 55 of the tray 28, which extends through and outwardly from .the notch or slot 53 is hinged to the remainder of the tray by pins 54A, so that when the machine is not in use, this outwardly project ng end '55 may be swung from th full line position in Fig. 2 upwardly and over upon the rest of the tray into the dotted line position F in Fig. 2. Thus, when the machine is not in use th s tray 28 may be contracted in over-all length so that the machine may be stored within a relatively small carrying case (not shown).

The notch 53 is normally closed by a door 56 which is hinged at its lower edge to the frame Iii by a pintle 51, it being noted that the pintle is disposed in a recess or cavity somewhat below the lower edge of the notch or slot 53, and this door 56 swings outwardly and downwardly to enable the hinged end 55 of tray 28 to be swung outwardly into extended position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. A spring wire or rod 58 is secured to the inner face of the door 56 at a short distance from its pivoted edge, and this spring rod or wire 58 extends in both directions from its anchorage to the inner face of the door 56, so as to engage against the inner face of the frame i l at b th sides of the notch 53, and extend past the sides of the notch for a substantial distance. When the door 56 is swung outwardly and downwardly, such as into the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2, the spring rod 58 will flex, with its ends cont nuing to project angularly through the notch 53 of the frame into the interior of the frame, and then when the door 55 is released and is free to move,.this spring rod 58 as it attempts to straighten itself, will retract the door 56 into closed vertical position.

It will be noted that when the tray 28 is in its normal, horizontal position, the links 50 are approximately horizontal and hinged to the tray at a substantial distance from the outer end. Thus, when the tray 28 is swung upwardly to the dotted line position E in Fig. 2, the jo nt between the sections will move upwardly and over the top of the door 56 without pushing the door very far in an opening direction, and then the tray can be swung into the vertical position E shown by the dash lines in Fig. 2, at which time the tray will pass down the outer face of the door, and the links 56 will extend along the inside of the door 56. The position of the door at this t me is shown by the dash line position G in Fig. 2. i Th tray and its links 56 thus straddle the door at its upper edge, so that the door 56 never is forced open any further than is shown by the full lines in Fig. 2, and the wire 58 will never be pulled entirely out of the notch 53.

It frequently happens that the operator desires to operate the machine while standing or walking about, and therefore I provide a bail or hanger 59 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is hinged at B9 to the upper end of the superstructure frame [5. preferably adjacent the rear edge thereof. This hanger 59 engages with an abutment 6!, when swung into vertical position as shown in Fig. 2. and this limits further rotation of the hanger.

The hanger may be then supported about the operators neck in any suitable manner, such as by a strap (not shown) which passes through an eye or loop .62 in the hanger and around the operators neck, or the strap may be fastened to some part of the operators clothing. The machine is preferably supported from the operators person at approximately the waist level, so that the operators arms will extend normally in an approximately horizontal direction with the hands over the keyboard. If one is sitting, the frame may be supported on ones lap, and in that event or when th machine is not in use, the hanger 59 may, if desired, be swung down upon the top of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1. This position is also shown in Fig. 2 by the full lines, and in the suspending position by the dash lines.

In the operation of this typewriting machine, the bail or hanger '59 may be swung into upright position, such as shown by dash lines in Fig. 2, and suspended from the neck or other part of the operator at approximately the operators waist line, so that the operators arms will lie along opposite sides of the machine with the hands over th keyboard convenient for manipulation of the keys. The lower tray 21 is preferably, although not necessarily, swung downwardly into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and the hinged end 55 of the upper tray is swung outwardly into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. i

The paper is of course confined against the platen so as to be fed therewith by the resilient pressure of the roller 33 against the paper and under the action of the spring 35. The paper leaving the platen will be directed downwardly where it will normally fall into the upper tray, but the fall ng section may, if desired, be torn off along the lower edge of the tear bar 31. It will be noted that immediately after the paper is'printed upon, it will move over the top of the platen where it is easily and immediately visible to and readable by the operator.

It will be understood that various changes in the details and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those-skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a plurality of keys mounted in said frame and disposed in groups spaced apart from one another, a pair of superposed paper mounting trays disposed between said groups of keys, the lowermost of said trays being supported for movement vertically between a position within the frame and a position below the frame to accommodate different sizes of pads of paper, and means engageable with said tray within the frame for releasably holding it within the frame.

2. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a plurality of keys mounted in said frame and disposed in groups spaced apart from one another, a pair of superposed paper mounting trays disposed between said groups of keys, the upper one of said trays extending outwardly beyond the group of keys in a horizontal direction and having the portion extending beyond the frame, pivoted to the remainder of said tray so as to be foldable over upon said remainder of the tray when not in use, the entire upper tray being further hinged to swing its inner end portion upwardly and outwardly to permit access to be had to the lower tray downwardly through the space between said groups of keys.

3. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a plurality of keys mounted in said frame and disposed in groups spaced apart from one another, a pair of superposed paper mounting trays disposed between said groups of keys, the lowermost of said trays being supported from said frame for movement between a position within the frame and a position below the frame, means engageable' with said lowermost tray within the frame for releasably holding it within the frame, said frame having a, slot through which the outer end of the upper tray extends, the outer end of said upper tray which extends through said notch being jointed so that the outer eX- tending end may be swung over upon the portion within the frame when not in use, and a door provided on the frame and normally closing said slot after the extending end of said tray has been folded over upon the inner portion of the tray.

4. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a plurality of keys mounted in said frame and disposed in groups spaced apart from one another, a pair of superposed paper mounting trays disposed between said groups of keys, the upper one of said trays being connected adjacent its outer end by arallel links to said frame so that the inner end of said tray may swing upwardly and outwardly on said links to expose the space between said groups of keys, and the inner end portion of said upper tray having ears which rest upon said frame and support that end when the tray is disposed between the groups of keys, whereby when the upper tray is swung upwardly, the inner end will move upwardly and outwardly beyond the groups of keys and provide full access to the space between the keys and to the lower tray.

5. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a plurality of keys mounted in said frame and disposed in groups spaced apart from one another, a pair of superposed paper mounting trays disposed between said groups of keys, the upper one of said trays being hinged to swing its inner end portion upwardly and outwardly to permit access to be had to the lower tray downwardly through the space between said groups of keys.

6. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a plurality of keys mounted in said frame and disposed in groups spaced apart from one another, a pair of superposed paper mounting trays disposed between said groups of keys, the upper one of said trays being connected adjacent its outer end by parallel links to said frame so that the inner end of said tray may swing upwardly and outwardly on said links to expose the space between said groups of keys, whereby when the upper tray is swung upwardly, the inner end will move upwardly and outwardly beyond the groups of keys and provide full access to the space between the keys and to the lower tray.

7. In a typewriting machine, a frame, a plurality of keys mounted in said frame and disposed in groups spaced apart from one another, a pair of superposed paper mounting trays disposed between said groups of keys, means mounting the upper one of said trays for move ment of said one tray between an approximately horizontal position above and spaced from the lower tray and an upstanding position approximately at right angles to the horizontal posi tion to provide free access to the lower tray, and

tray beyond said positions.

HOWARD B. SMITH. 

